Learn Visual Basic 6.0 with Mastering Visual Basic 6.0 PDF Free Download
Mastering Visual Basic 6.0 PDF Free Download
Visual Basic 6.0 is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It is easy to learn, powerful, and versatile. It can be used to create desktop, web, mobile, and embedded applications for Windows platforms.
Mastering Visual Basic 6.0 Pdf Free Download
If you want to learn or improve your Visual Basic 6.0 skills, you might be looking for a way to download it for free. You might also be wondering how to master it and use it in modern applications.
In this article, you will find out:
What is Visual Basic 6.0 and what are its features?
Why should you learn Visual Basic 6.0?
How can you download Visual Basic 6.0 for free?
How can you master Visual Basic 6.0?
How can you use Visual Basic 6.0 in modern applications?
By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of how to get started with Visual Basic 6.0 and become a proficient programmer.
What is Visual Basic 6.0?
Visual Basic 6.0 is a programming language and an integrated development environment (IDE) that was released by Microsoft in 1998. It is based on the BASIC language, which stands for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.
Visual Basic 6.0 has many features that make it easy and fun to use, such as:
A graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to design forms and controls by dragging and dropping elements
A code editor that provides syntax highlighting, auto-completion, debugging, and error handling
A large library of built-in functions, objects, controls, and components that you can use to create various types of applications
A support for object-oriented programming (OOP), which allows you to create and reuse classes and modules
A support for ActiveX technology, which allows you to create and use reusable components that can interact with other applications and web browsers
A support for database programming, which allows you to connect to and manipulate data from various sources such as Microsoft Access, SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL
A support for web programming, which allows you to create dynamic web pages and web services using ASP, HTML, XML, and DHTML
A support for multimedia programming, which allows you to play and record sounds, videos, and animations using DirectX, Windows Media Player, and MCI
Why learn Visual Basic 6.0?
Visual Basic 6.0 is a great language to learn for beginners and professionals alike. Here are some of the benefits of learning Visual Basic 6.0:
It is easy to learn. Visual Basic 6.0 has a simple and intuitive syntax that is close to natural language. It also has a friendly and helpful IDE that guides you through the development process.
It is powerful. Visual Basic 6.0 can create a wide range of applications that can run on Windows platforms. It can also access various resources and technologies such as databases, web services, COM components, .NET Framework, and Interop Forms Toolkit.
It is versatile. Visual Basic 6.0 can be used for different purposes such as education, business, entertainment, and hobby. It can also be used to extend and migrate existing applications to newer technologies.
It is popular. Visual Basic 6.0 has a large and active community of developers and users who can provide support, feedback, and resources. It also has a high demand in the job market as many legacy applications are still written in Visual Basic 6.0.
How to download Visual Basic 6.0 for free?
If you want to download Visual Basic 6.0 for free, you have two options: official and unofficial.
Official source: Microsoft
The official source to download Visual Basic 6.0 is from the Microsoft website. However, you cannot download the full version of Visual Basic 6.0 as it is no longer supported by Microsoft. You can only download the Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6 Cumulative Update, which is a security update for the existing Visual Basic 6.0 installations.
To download the Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6 Cumulative Update, follow these steps:
Go to the Microsoft Download Center page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7030
Select your language from the drop-down menu and click Download.
Select the file VB6SP6-KB957924-v2-x86-ENU.exe and click Next.
Save the file to your computer and run it as an administrator.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the update.
Note: You need to have Visual Basic 6.0 already installed on your computer before applying this update. If you don't have Visual Basic 6.0 installed, you need to find an original installation CD or ISO file from another source.
Unofficial source: Internet Archive
The unofficial source to download Visual Basic 6.0 is from the Internet Archive website. This is a non-profit organization that preserves digital content from various sources. You can find a copy of the Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition ISO file on this website.
To download the Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition ISO file, follow these steps:
Go to the Internet Archive page: https://archive.org/details/VisualBasic60EnterpriseEdition
Click on the DOWNLOAD OPTIONS section and select ISO IMAGE.
Save the file VB60ENT.iso to your computer.
Mount the ISO file using a virtual drive software such as Daemon Tools or PowerISO.
Run the setup.exe file from the virtual drive as an administrator.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install Visual Basic 6.0.
Note: You need to have a valid product key to activate Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition. You can find a product key on the Internet Archive page or use a key generator software such as KeyGen.exe.
How to master Visual Basic 6.0?
<p Continuing the article: Online courses
One of the best ways to learn Visual Basic 6.0 is to take online courses that teach you the basics and advanced topics of the language. You can find many online courses on Visual Basic 6.0 on platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, edX, and Skillshare. Here are some examples of online courses on Visual Basic 6.0:
Introduction to Computer Programming with Visual Basic: This is a specialization offered by LearnQuest on Coursera that consists of four courses that cover the fundamentals of programming, including variables, data types, operators, expressions, statements, loops, arrays, classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, and collections. You will also learn how to use Visual Basic 6.0 to create desktop and web applications.
Visual Basic 6.0 for Beginners: This is a course offered by Udemy that teaches you the basics of Visual Basic 6.0 such as syntax, variables, constants, data types, operators, control structures, procedures, functions, arrays, strings, file handling, error handling, debugging, and testing. You will also learn how to design and implement user interfaces using forms and controls.
Visual Basic Essentials: This is a course offered by edX that introduces you to the core concepts and features of Visual Basic such as data types, variables, operators, expressions, statements, decisions, loops, methods, classes, objects, properties, events, delegates, inheritance, interfaces, generics, collections, and LINQ. You will also learn how to use Visual Studio to create console and Windows Forms applications using Visual Basic.
Visual Basic 6.0 Programming: This is a course offered by Skillshare that covers the fundamentals of Visual Basic 6.0 such as syntax, variables, data types, operators, expressions, statements, control structures, procedures, functions, arrays, strings, file handling, error handling, debugging. You will also learn how to create graphical user interfaces using forms and controls.
Books
Another way to learn Visual Basic 6.0 is to read books that explain the theory and practice of the language. You can find many books on Visual Basic 6.0 on platforms such as Amazon Kindle Store or Google Play Books. Here are some examples of books on Visual Basic 6.0:
Mastering Visual Basic 6: This is a book written by Evangelos Petroutsos that covers the essential and advanced topics of Visual Basic 6 such as data types, variables, operators, expressions, statements, control structures, procedures, functions, arrays, strings, file handling, error handling, debugging, testing, object-oriented programming, ActiveX controls, database programming, web programming, multimedia programming, and Windows API. You will also learn how to use Visual Studio 6 to create professional applications using Visual Basic 6.
Visual Basic 6 Black Book: This is a book written by Steven Holzner that provides a comprehensive reference and tutorial on Visual Basic 6 such as syntax, variables, data types, operators, expressions, statements, control structures, procedures, functions, arrays, strings, file handling, error handling, debugging, testing, object-oriented programming, ActiveX controls, database programming, web programming, multimedia programming, and Windows API. You will also learn how to use various tools and components that enhance Visual Basic 6 functionality.
Visual Basic 6 Made Easy: This is a book written by Liew Voon Kiong that teaches you the basics of Visual Basic 6 such as syntax, variables, data types, operators, expressions statements control structures procedures functions arrays strings file handling error handling debugging testing object-oriented programming ActiveX controls database programming web programming and multimedia programming. You will also learn how to create simple applications using Visual Basic 6.
Visual Basic 6 in Plain English: This is a book written by Brian Overland that explains the concepts and features of Visual Basic 6 in a clear and simple way such as syntax variables data types operators expressions statements control structures procedures functions arrays strings file handling error handling debugging testing object-oriented programming ActiveX controls database programming web programming and multimedia programming. You will also learn how to use Visual Basic 6 to create practical applications.
Documentation
A third way to learn Visual Basic 6.0 is to consult the official documentation that provides the language reference and how-to guides for maintaining Visual Basic applications. You can find the official documentation on Visual Basic 6.0 on the Microsoft Learn website. The documentation contains information such as:
The Visual Basic 6.0 support policy that describes the Microsoft's goal and scope of supporting Visual Basic 6.0 applications on Windows platforms
The Visual Basic 6.0 language reference that provides the syntax, usage, and examples of the keywords, statements, functions, objects, controls, and components of Visual Basic 6.0
The Visual Basic 6.0 how-to topics that provide step-by-step instructions and tips on how to perform common tasks and scenarios using Visual Basic 6.0
The list of intrinsic and ActiveX controls shipped in Visual Basic 6.0 that provides the names, descriptions, and properties of the controls that you can use to create user interfaces
Community resources
A fourth way to learn Visual Basic 6.0 is to access the community resources that provide support, feedback, and resources from other developers and users of Visual Basic 6.0. You can find many community resources on Visual Basic 6.0 on platforms such as forums, blogs, and code samples. Here are some examples of community resources on Visual Basic 6.0:
The Code Project: This is a website that provides articles, tutorials, tips, tricks, and code samples on various programming topics, including Visual Basic 6.0. You can learn from the experts and share your own knowledge and experience with the community.
Planet Source Code: This is a website that provides source code, projects, tutorials, and articles on various programming languages, including Visual Basic 6.0. You can browse, download, upload, rate, and comment on the code and projects submitted by the community.
VB City: This is a website that provides forums, articles, blogs, news, downloads, and links on various aspects of Visual Basic development, including Visual Basic 6.0. You can ask questions, answer questions, discuss topics, and share resources with the community.
VB Forums: This is a website that provides forums, articles, blogs, news, downloads, and links on various aspects of Visual Basic development, including Visual Basic 6.0. You can ask questions, answer questions, discuss topics, and share resources with the community.
VB-Helper: This is a website that provides tips, tricks, tutorials, and code samples on various topics related to Visual Basic programming, including Visual Basic 6.0. You can learn from the examples and apply them to your own projects.
How to use Visual Basic 6.0 in modern applications?
Visual Basic 6.0 is a legacy language that is no longer supported by Microsoft. However, you can still use it in modern applications by extending and migrating it using .NET Framework and Interop Forms Toolkit.
Extending Visual Basic 6.0 applications with .NET
You can extend your Visual Basic 6.0 applications with .NET by using .NET classes and components in your Visual Basic 6.0 code. This way, you can take advantage of the new features and functionality of .NET without rewriting your entire application.
To extend your Visual Basic 6.0 applications with .NET, you need to follow these steps:
Create a .NET class library project in Visual Studio using C# or VB.NET.
Add the attributes [ComVisible(true)] and [ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.AutoDual)] to your .NET classes that you want to expose to Visual Basic 6.0.
Build your .NET class library project and register it for COM interop using the regasm.exe tool.
Add a reference to your .NET class library in your Visual Basic 6.0 project using the Project menu > References dialog box.
Use your .NET classes and components in your Visual Basic 6.0 code as if they were native COM objects.
Migrating Visual Basic 6.0 applications to .NET
You can migrate Continuing the article: your Visual Basic 6.0 applications to .NET by using tools and best practices that help you upgrade your code and project files to .NET Framework or .NET Core. This way, you can take advantage of the new features and functionality of .NET and improve the performance, security, and compatibility of your applications.
To migrate your Visual Basic 6.0 applications to .NET, you need to follow these steps:
Analyze your Visual Basic 6.0 applications using tools such as Visual Basic Upgrade Companion (VBUC) or Visual Basic Upgrade Analyzer (VBUA) to assess the complexity, dependencies, and compatibility issues of your code and project files.
Choose a target platform for your migration, such as .NET Framework or .NET Core, and a target language, such as C# or VB.NET. You can also choose a target UI framework, such as Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET, or Blazor.
Convert your Visual Basic 6.0 code and project files to .NET using tools such as VBUC or Visual Studio Upgrade Wizard. You can also use manual conversion techniques such as copy-and-paste or rewrite.
Test and debug your migrated applications using tools such as Visual Studio Test Explorer or NUnit. You can also use code analysis tools such as FxCop or StyleCop to check the quality and style of your code.
Deploy and maintain your migrated applications using tools such as Visual Studio Publish Wizard or Azure DevOps. You can also use configuration management tools such as Git or SVN to manage your source code.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned how to master Visual Basic 6.0 PDF free download. You have learned:
What is Visual Basic 6.0 and what are its features?
Why should you learn Visual Basic 6.0?
How can you download Visual Basic 6.0 for free?
How can you master Visual Basic 6.0?
How can you use Visual Basic 6.0 in modern applications?
By following the tips and resources provided in this article, you can become a proficient programmer in Visual Basic 6.0 and create various types of applications for Windows platforms.
If you want to learn more about Visual Basic 6.0, you can check out the links and references below. You can also join the community of Visual Basic 6.0 developers and users who can help you with your questions and problems.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. If you did, please share it with your friends and colleagues who might be interested in learning Visual Basic 6.0.
Thank you for reading and happy coding!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Visual Basic 6.0 PDF free download:
Q: Is Visual Basic 6.0 still supported by Microsoft?
A: No, Visual Basic 6.0 is no longer supported by Microsoft since April 8, 2008. However, Microsoft's goal is that Visual Basic 6.0 applications continue to run on supported Windows versions. The core Visual Basic 6.0 runtime files are included in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 for Embedded Systems, Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation Edition (64-bit x86), Windows Server Continuing the article: 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008. However, you may encounter some compatibility issues or performance degradation on newer Windows versions.
To ensure that your Visual Basic 6.0 applications run smoothly on supported Windows versions, you need to follow these steps:
Install the latest Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6 Cumulative Update from Microsoft website or Internet Archive website as described above.
Install the latest Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime Extended Files from Microsoft website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5721
Install the latest Visual Basic 6.0 Common Controls from Microsoft website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10019
Run your Visual Basic 6.0 applications as an administrator or with elevated privileges.
Run your Visual Basic 6.0 applications in compatibility mode for Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Run your Visual Basic 6.0 applications using a virtual machine software such as VirtualBox or VMware that emulates an older Windows version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Visual Basic 6.0 PDF free download:
Q: Is Visual Basic 6.0 still supported by Microsoft?
A: No, Visual Basic 6.0 is no longer supported by Microsoft since April 8, 2008. However, Microsoft's goal is that Visual Basic 6.0 applications continue to run on supported Windows versions. The core Visual Basic 6.0 runtime files are included in Wi